If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the crazy 4.75 years I’ve been working on this stinking miserable anxiety-inducing PhD, it’s that knitting has helped me out a lot. It gives me a sense of accomplishment at times when almost nothing else seems to, and that’s sure as heck worth something.

And then there are some times when the knitting part doesn’t seem to even be necessary, and I go directly to the yarn itself. Mmm.

Yesterday when I was in Toronto I marched right on down to Lettuce Knit at lunch hour to see what Socks that Rock was left from their delivery last week. It’s been a long week, tiring and stressful along with the renewed efforts of the cold that I thought I’d gotten rid of last week (I hadn’t), and despite the fact that I know I’ll be in New York next week, and I know full well I’ll be visiting new and bountiful yarn stores, I wanted yarn NOW. I walked out with a few skeins, including this one:

It’s so pretty I love it to pieces. It makes me think of impressionist paintings and tropical lagoons and everything that PhD turmoil is not. I don’t even know for sure what sock pattern I’ll make with it yet. In fact, I may just carry it around with me like a security blanket for the next week. That’s OK, right?

Also, I’d like to thank the weather report for looking like this:

I can deal with the rain. Sure, the rain isn’t ideal, but check out those temperatures. We haven’t had this many consecutive above-freezing days in I don’t know how long. Bring on the snow-melting.

Also, bring on the Venezia. She’s gettin’ there. Two sleeve-cap tops, cutting, seaming, and v-neck edging is all that remains. (Um. I sure hope it fits properly when it’s finished. That would sure suck if it didn’t.)

Like this:

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18 responses to “Yarn saves”

OHHHH Venezia is so beautiful. Wow. I really admire your brain+fingers. Surely a PhD is easy next to this kind of knitting! YES, always carry yarn with you for comfort! I’ve got cabin fever from an ongoing log cabin; and am thinking the remedy is to put it gently aside and have a fun, quickish project…got any fingerless glove recipies laying about?

spring ambitions? even though there are lots of things on my needles, i just ran to the yarn store to get provisions to make a pinwheel blanket (from knitalong) as a wedding gift — something about simple, mostly stockinette, sounds very soothing right now.

I just need to get through the next couple months without losing my mind (nothing major is wrong, but my kids are driving me up the wall and it’s still too cold to play outside or dig in the garden). Also, I’m hoping to finish a couple pairs of socks. Given how busy I am lately, that would be major!

Oh, yarn. I just ordered some STR for a sooper sekrit birthday surprise, and I am impatiently awaiting its arrival. In the meantime, I was at a craft fair today and discovered that stuffing a hank of acrylic yarn in a mug, sticking two needles in the top and attaching a photocopied page of instructions on how to knit and purl (from approx. 1956, I think) is considered a “scarf kit” by some people. I am tempted to go into business.

Also, sea glass jewelry is the new hot item, and I now own some, and it’s truly a thing of awesome.

Spring ambitions? The cure for this MAJOR case of wanderlust! I am going on my first business trip in a couple weeks. To a theme park. We have a site in Mass that I get to visit. I’m going with another HRBP who’s from your neck of the woods. Next, in May, I go to Vermont to visit my brother for 10 days. I haven’t seen him in a year and a half. He’s in culinary school and hasn’t been able to come home. After that, in June, I am off to San Francisco for 8 days in June. If that doesn’t cure me, I’m hopeless.

As for knitting…I am a little overwhelmed with needing a ton of baby items tout suit! A birthday gift and housewarming gift for the BFF, a dog sweater, and a sweater for my mom. But I finally broke down and bought 3 EZ books, which should make my life so much easier.

Also that yarn is so gorgeous I’m physically restraining myself from grabbing my debit card. And I generally don’t even like blues.

My spring knitting ambitions? I am in full-blown “get it off the damn needles” mode and I am finishing as many WIPs as possible before Maryland S&W. Why? Because the moment I get all that new yarn I will no longer want to finish those “old” things and they will waste away in a bin for another year.

I know the feeling, kitting makes me feel like I’m not wasting my existence, after you’ve knit mittens or a hat or scarf or socks no one says what are you going to do with that? – they may wonder why I didn’t buy them instead, but at least everyone accepts the value and usefulness of the product. (As opposed, to say, a PhD in old norse literature…)

Wow – Venezia looks fantastic! I really admire you – doing a PHD & knitting such a complex project – I would not be able to it. But I do believe that knitting is relaxing as it does for me after a long hard day. Knit on…

I would be really happy if I could finish something this spring. And make something pretty and something I’d actually wear. Like a silk scarf (I have a skein of Handmaiden Sea Silk I got through a swap which is perfect) or a little camisole. Or maybe a cardigan. Or maybe I shouldn’t be so ambitious. ;) I’d love to make a pair of lacy knee highs, too. *sigh*

Venezia is looking perfect. I really hope it fits too! But let’s not ponder the possibility of it not fitting. We might jinx it.